Water cycle



June 29,1943. D. VIGO WATER CYCLE original Filed 001;.515, 1940 5Sheets-Sheet 1 June 29, 1943. v so 2,323,261

WATER CYCLE Original Filed Oct. 15, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 29, 1943.D. VIGO WATER CYCLE Original Filed Oct. 15, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 D.'VIGO WATER CYCLE June 29, 1943.

ori inal Filed Oct. 15, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 J1me 29, 1943. VIGQ WATERCYCLE Original Filed Oct. 15, 1940 -5 Sheets-Sheet 5 fnvemv- PatentedJune 29, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WATER CYCLE David Vigo, AnnArbor, Mich.

Substituted for abandoned application Serial No.

361,289, October 15, 1940.

This application March 22, 1943, Serial No. 480,119

3 Claims.

" smooth body of water.

Another object of my said invention is to provide a vehicle of thecharacter referred to which is capable of travelling at a limited speedon land, so that it may be conveniently transferred from one body ofwater to another and at the same time may be stored in a garage or otherbuilding, thereby avoiding the great expense of a dock or other place offloating storage.

A further object of my said invention is to provide a vehicle of thecharacter recited which is relatively light in weight and simple inconstruction so that it may be manufactured very economically by modernmethods of production, and may thus be sold at prices within the reachof those of moderate means.

It is contemplated that due to this latter feature my improvedvehicle'may become universally adopted, providing healthful exercise andenjoyable sport in the same manner as is the present case with theordinary bicycle.

With these and other objects in view, I will now describe a preferredembodiment of my invention, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a three-wheeledvehicle constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a rear View of the same.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary elevation showing the construction of one ofthe driving or propelling floats or wheels.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical section of the same taken on line 4-of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary transverse section illustrating theconstruction of the steering float or wheel, showing details of the axleand the method of attaching the steering fork and other parts, thesection being taken approximately on line 55 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a vertical section taken on line 66 of Figure 1 showing theconstruction of the driving axle with its accompanying differentialgear.

' Figure '7 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on line l'l ofFigure 1 showing the details of the'rear or driven axle.

"Figure 8 is a fragmentary plan view looking in the direction of line 88of Figure 1, showing diagrammatically th arrangement of the powertransmission gearing as employing in the instant vehicle, and

Figure 9 is a similar plan view showing an alternative arrangement ofthe power transmi= sion gearing in which is included a special form ofthe well-known coaster brake.

Like characters designate corresponding parts throughout the severalviews.

My improved vehicle consists essentially of a frame A, a pair of reardriving wheels 13, and a front or steering wheel 0, the latter beingswivelly mounted and being provided with steering means similar to theconventional bicycle type.

The frame A, preferably of welded tubular construction, comprises afront steering socket l; a seat-supporting member 2 having at its upperend an adjustable seat or saddle 3 and connected by upper and lowerlongitudinal braces 4, 5 to the steering socket; a pair of rear upperbraces 6 arranged in bifurcated form; between which is located a singledetachable brace 6A and a lower rear brace l. The upper and lower braces6, 6A, '1 are connected to a trussed rear axle support 8, carrying thedriven axl 8|. In ball bearings within the socket l is mounted asteering post H having at its upper end a pair of horizontal members I2carrying the handles I 3, and at its lower end a pair of forked membersI4 in the lower ends of which is mounted the front axle 9. At thejunction of the frame members 2, 5 and l is a special form of crankhanger ID in which is mounted a driving axle NH. Y

The propelling wheels or floats B, shown in detail in Figures 3 and 4,consist of an exaggerated form of pneumatic tire casing B of rubber orother suitable material and having a relatively small bore B2 adapted tobe secured to the driven axle, and reinforced along the center line ofthe tread as indicated at B3. The dimensions of these wheels or floatsare so calculated as to provide suflicient displacement in the water tosustain the vehicle as a whole under proper conditions of stability, andnear the outer periphery are a series of lugs B4 adapted to impinge uponthe water and provide the necessary traction. An air valve B5 isprovided for the inflation of the wheel and this valve is preferablyprovided with a blow-off or relief valve B5 of any convenient form. Thefront or steering wheel C is of similar construction to that justdescribed with the exception that the lugs B4 are omitted. The bore ofthe wheels B in the example shown is of proper diameter to slidablyreceive the driven axle 8|, and in order to secure it in posi-,

tion thereupon there are provided a pair of frusto-conical washers Blhaving their outer peripheries curved to fit the outer surface of thewheel and having upon their inner faces a series of projections B8 whichfit in recesses in the material of the wheel. The inner of the flangesB1 is provided with one or more integral keys or projections B9 adaptedto engage a slot or slots BIO in the axle, so as to provide a properdriving relation between the members. The projections B9 also serve tolocate the wheels along the axle upon which they are further secured asby the lock nut Bil, the latter being covered by a hub cap Bi 2 held inposition by any convenient well-known means. Bore B2 of the wheels maybe greater than the axle. The washers B1 having cylindrical spacermembers to fit said bore.

Intermediate the propelling wheels or floats is the before-mentionedaxle support 8, as shown in Figures 2 and l, which consists of fourbowshaped tubular members 82 arranged at intervals of ninety degreesaround its axis and connected together at their middle by means ofannular plates 83 and at their ends by cylindrical members 8 3, thewhole being welded together so as to form a complete unit. Between themembers 83 is interposed the squared end H or the member I and a similarend of the member GA which are secured in position as by the bolts 12,and to the members 34 are secured the members 6, preferably by welding.

The axle 8! is in two parts divided at the center, the two parts beingprovided with flanges 35 having their inner faces grooved to accommodatethrust bearing balls 86, while their outer peripheries are supported inball bearings 81 mounted in the cylindrical member 83, the latter memberbeing carried in a central bore in the plates 83. Enclosures 89 areprovided upon the member 88. The members 8 1 upon the outer ends of thetruss carry the ball bearings 81 slidable upon the axle by well-knownmeans and provided with closures 39. The two sections of the axle areeach provided with a sprocket S connected to flanges S as by screws S2.The flanges S are divided, as indicated in broken lines at S3, and havekeyways to receive the Woodruff keys S4.

As shown in detail in Figures 1 and 6 of the drawings, the crank hangerI6 is in the form of a hollow cylinder connected by welding to thesupporting members of the frame and having on its edges the inwardlyprojecting flanges hi2 between which is positioned a member {63 providedwith excentrically disposed flanges 1M rotatably mounted in the hangerID and also a central annular flange having therein a series of openingsi 66 for a purpose to be hereinafter explained. In ball bearings I07 inthe member I63. are mounted a pair of sprockets Hi8, and within thesesprockets are ball bearings I99 which serve to support the driving shaftIEII.

Thus it will be seen by reference to Figure 6 of the drawings that thesprockets are independently and rotatably held within the exeent icmember I03, and upon the inner faces of these sprockets are integralbevelled gears HE! which are connected together by the centrallydisposed gears ill carried upon transverse. studs H2 formed upon thedriving shaft lfll and held in position as by the. collars H3, thisarrangement forming a differential gearing of the type wellknown in theart The cranks ll l are secured upon the axle IOI as by the cotters I I5and carry at their outer ends axles H6 upon which are mounted the pedalsH1 in the usual manner.

The front or driving sprockets I08 and the rear or driven sprockets Sare connected by conventional pitch chains C, and in the initialassembly the member I83, in which the driving axle is carried, ispositioned as shown in the drawing Figure 1 in which the centers of thedriving and driven axles are at a minimum. Then, as the chains stretch,due to wear, the member I03 is rotated by inserting some form of wrenchor other tool in the openings 106 in its central flange. This rotation,due to the excentric form of the flanges I64, will cause the distancebetween the said centers to be increased so as to tighten the chain. Inorder to hold the parts firmly in position, the crank hanger I0 is splitdiametrically, and the two parts are clamped together by the bolts H8 asshown in Figure 1, passing through lugs H9.

The steering wheel or float 0, shown in detail in the fragmentarysection, Figure 5, has a central bore adapted to receive the tubularmember 9i which is retained in position by means of i'rusto-conicalwashers B1 similar to those previously described with reference to therear wheels. In the ends of the member 9| are pressed the ball bearingcups 92 which receive co-acting cones 93 secured upon the axle 9, andexternally of these cones are secured the flattened ends of the steeringforks N, there being a bushing 9 interposed between the forks and theaxle. Upon the extreme ends of the axle 9 are a pair of collars 95 whichhave a reduced portion adapted to receive the flattened ends of a pairof curved members 95 similar in construction to the members Hi. Betweenthe free ends of the members 98 is secured a rudder R formed'from metalplate, and to the upper end of this rudder is secured a relativeiy widesplash guard G designed to protect the rider from water thrown out bycentrifugal force from the front wheel. The upper end of the splashguard is slidably supported, by any suitable means, upon the lowerextremity of the steering post l i, that is to say, between the forkedmembers It, and the said guard is provided at its upper end with adetachable vertical lever G to which is pivoted a rod G2 terminating ina handle G3 by which the guard G may be moved around the axle 9 as acenter so as to raise the rudder to the position indicated at R inFigure l in which it becomes inoperative. The lever G then occupies theposition indicated at G" and is held therein due to the projecting lugG4 upon the handle which engages a forked bracket G5 secured to thesteering post H. Thus, while the Wheel C together with its rudder R isswivelled within the socket l to effect steering, the rudder may beraised and lowered as occasion requires.

The diagram, Figure 8, shows the general plan of the transmission ashereinbefore described and as shown in the drawings. In some cases,however, it may be desirable to incorporate in the transmission gearsome form of coaster brake, and in such case, as shown diagrammaticallyin Figure 9, there is provided intermediate the crank hanger I0 and therear axle 8| a cylindrical member llllA which serves to contain adifferential gear of the type previously shown within the hanger IE3,but in this case the differential is combined with any suitable form ofcoaster brake mechanism in which the brake is applied by a backwardmovement of the pedals. In this a1.- rangement, therefore, the sprocketI08 i connected by a chain C2 to a sprocket [08A, and the power from themechanism within the member [01A is carried to the two halves of therear axle by means of a pair of chains C3 which connect the sprocketsIIJ8B to the rear sprockets S. The construction of coaster brakes anddifferential mechanisms is so well known in the art that no furtherdescription or illustration of thi modification is deemed necessary.

It will be observed from the foregoing description and by reference tothe drawings that I have provided a vehicle which is simple inconstruction and relatively cheap to manufacture, and While I haveherein described and shown a preferred embodiment of my said invention,it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which thesame pertains that various change in detail may be made to suit anyparticular or peculiar requirements without departing from the spirit ofmy invention as defined in the appended claims. For example, while Ihave herein shown and described my improved vehicle as having threewheels, and being capable of carrying a single rider, obviously the samemay be made to carry two or more persons and may further be providedwith four wheels in order to obtain increased stability. In thefour-wheeled form, the two front wheels will be provided with a steeringgear of the well-known Ackerman type now universally used in automobileconstruction. Further, I may employ two rudders in place of the singlerudder shown in order to obtain some steering power. It will beunderstood, also, that my improved vehicle is susceptible of beingpropelled by any form of motive power such as by gasoline or electricmotor, the standard parts for which are already available on the market.

Having thus described my said invention, what I claim and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A vehicle of the character described comprising a frame having aseat, a hollow member extending laterally from said frame at one endthereof, an axle rotatable within said member, a pair of circular floatsmounted on the ends of said axle, means for rotating said axle, asteering socket on the other end of said frame, a steering forkrotatably mounted Within said socket and having thereupon handles spacedapart, a circular float rotatably mounted within said fork, a rudderswingably mounted upon said fork, and means for holding said rudder inraised position.

2. A vehicle of the character described comprising a frame having aseat, a hollow member extending laterally from said frame at one endthereof, an axle rotatable within said member and formed in two parts, adriving shaft including a (inferential gearing, a pair of chainsprockets arranged in spaced relation and driven through said gearing, apair of sprockets mounted upon the half axles and connected by chainswith aid first-mentioned sprockets, and a pair of circular'fioatsmounted On the outer ends of said half axles.

3. A vehicle of the character described comprising a frame having aseat, a hollow member extending laterally from said frame at one endthereof, an axle rotatable within said member and formed in two parts, apedal-driven shaft including a 'diiferential gearing, a pair of chainsprockets arranged in spaced relation and driven through said gearing, apair of sprockets mounted upon the half axles and connected by chainswith said first-mentioned sprockets, a pair of circular floats mountedon the outer ends of said half axles, and a. brake mechanism operated bybackward movement of said pedal-driven shaft.

DAVID VIGO.

